Beverage distributors and retailers often use plastic reusable trays to ship twelve and twenty-four ounce aluminum beverage cans. Can-filled trays are usually stacked on top of each other with the bottom of an upper tray engaging the top of the beverage cans. The entire stack is banded and wrapped on a pallet.
When the beverage cans are shipped to a retailer, a retailer may remove the cans from their trays for display. The empty trays are stacked and set aside for the distributor. The distributor bands the stack and/or wraps it in an air tight plastic wrap for storage and transportation. This is done in order to secure the tray stack. Many of the trays that are presently used form unstable pillars that tend to sway after a number of trays are stacked.
Often times cans are maintained in the trays for display to consumers at retail stores. Many of the trays used today cover the cans prohibiting exposure of the labels. In addition, the trays are not adapted for print advertising on its sides.